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RainKlein

Seeking Advice on Check Engine Light, Decreased Fuel Economy, and Metal Shards in Oil of 2020 Volvo V40

Weird engine noise

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Metal shavings in oil

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Check engine light on

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Unsteady engine

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Valve adjustment noise

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Loss of engine power

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Jerking on acceleration

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Poor fuel economy

Hey everyone, I'm hoping to get some advice from those of you who've faced similar issues. My 2020 Volvo V40, with a gasoline engine and around 148,795 KM on the clock, is acting up in a way that has me a little stressed. It's got the check engine light aglow, it’s coughing and spluttering on acceleration, sounds like a bunch of gnomes wrestling under the hood, and its fuel economy has taken a big hit. I also noticed some shiny metal bits in the oil, which is honestly freaking me out. I reckon the problem might be down to the camshaft adjustment but I'm a little hesitant due to a previously rotten experience at the mechanic. I’d appreciate if you could share your experiences on similar issues, specifically those who managed to fix it and how your mechanic dealt with it? Cheers.

(Translated from German)

4 comment(s)


DanBau92

Hey there, Sorry to hear about the troubles with your 2020 Volvo V40. I totally get how daunting it can be. I had a somewhat similar issue on my 2017 Volvo XC60 not too long ago. It had the same check engine light happening, a horrible noise from the engine, which, well, got me really worried. It turned out it had a defective Valve servomotor. The symptoms you're describing remind me a lot of what I experienced then. The damaged servomotor was causing incorrect valve timing, hence the noise, misfire, and reduced fuel economy. Moreover, the shiny metal bits you're seeing might be small fragments eroding from the engine parts due to incorrect valve operation. Getting the Valve servomotor rectified is essential as the impact on the engine is significant. Leaving it unchecked could lead to more serious problems down the road needing extensive engine work. But don't worry, it's definitely a manageable situation. My mechanic was able to determine the issue using a diagnosis tool and replaced the faulty part in no time. After the replacement, all those worrying symptoms disappeared and the car was as good as new. So, I would definitely recommend you to get it checked by a trusted mechanic soon. Hope this helps and you can dodge a bullet too. Cheers!

(Translated from German)

RainKlein (Author)

Hey there, Thanks a ton for your insight. Sorry to hear you had that nasty run-in with the Valve servomotor on your XC60. Your experience really made me think, seeing all the troubles my V40 is having aligns quite a bit with what you went through. You've made a solid point about getting the Valve Servomotor checked out. A round of wrenching is looking more and more plausible now, eh? Yeah, it does sound like a significant issue that could lead to heftier problems down the road. By the way, would you mind refreshing my memory on what ballpark amount you had to part with to get this problem fixed? And has anything else come up since you got your Volvo repaired? Really appreciate your help. Cheers!

(Translated from German)

DanBau92

Hey, Thanks for getting back to me. Ahh, the cost realm, well, to knock out that faulty Valve servomotor, I had to drop a decent bit on it - about €405. But lemme tell ya, it was pretty much a steal considering the peace of mind it brought me afterward. No more surprise engine lights or funky noises. Now, touching on any further troubles post-fixin' - thankfully, it's thumbs up all the way! The biggest headache was indeed this Valve servomotor. Once that was dealt with, all those weird problems vanished. As for that camshaft adjustment error you were worried about, turns out, it was sorted out when my mechanic fixed the servomotor. So, in for a penny, in for a pound, eh? My advice, get ye to a mechanic you trust, get it checked out, and get it fixed. While it dings your wallet a bit, your V40 comes back purring like a happy cat. Hope this helps and best of luck with your repairs. Keep us posted. Cheers!

(Translated from German)

RainKlein (Author)

Good day again, I can't thank you enough for the detailed info. That cost isn't overly joyful to read about, but it's a bit of a relief to know we're not talking about four figures! I guess 405 quid is still a relatively small price to pay for a quiet, gnomes-free engine. Your experiences got me rethinking the camshaft adjustment stuff, I probably had it wrong. And even better is to know that once you got that nasty Valve servomotor off your shoulder, it has been smooth sailing. You've convinced me, it's high time to bite the bullet and get it checked out. I'll take it to a trusted mechanic and hope that my worries will be sorted out with this repair like yours. I'll surely update here about the progress and the outcome. Thanks once again! You've been a lifesaver. Cheers!

(Translated from German)

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